My son is visiting his father for the summer. Now the dad says he is keeping our son.?

My heart goes out to you! I live in Illinois and was worried about the same problem so went to a lawyer to talk to him. This is what he told me... If you have no papers signed no cop or judge is going to make him give you your child back. What you need to do is go to a lawyer and have him draw up a petition for custody NOW! That way you can serve him before he serves you. With him living in CA if he has the child there for more than 6 months that is the child's new residency which means all court hearings will be there. Because he is still a resident of Illinois you can bring it to court here you just have to get the papers in first. That will not mean he will come home yet. Then what I would do is get my on a plane and go get your child. This is just me talking though. Understand that the same thing he got you on you can get him on. Don't tell him you are coming. Just show up and when your kid is away from him have him hop in the car and take him back to Illinois. Understand that you did not do anything wrong in the eyes of the law because you are him mother so he can not get you on kidnapping. When you got back to Illinois I would suggest you call his dad and tell him that he is okay but it IS all legal. Best of luck! email me if you have anymore questions on this.